The Sky Lit Up
by isawrightless
Summary: in a future where the threat is but a thunderstorm, they have fun with lipsticks and Seinfeld reruns.


**I.**

It starts when Claire comes back from the supermarket. She greets her family with a warm hello, and Leon comes to help her with the groceries, taking a few bags from her. She kisses him on the cheek, all sweet and gentle. He smiles at her, their hands touch and he asks about her day.

Rafaela, who is still on her pajamas and watching cartoons while spread out on the couch, sits up and says, "Mommy! You marked Daddy!"

The two adults exchange an amused glance, until Claire spots the mark on his cheek and chuckles. "It's lipstick, sweetie," she explains, using one of her free hands to wipe it clean from her husband's cheek. "See?"

The little girl squints as her father walks past her, ruffles her hair and makes his way to the kitchen. Claire crouches in front of her, kisses her right cheek.

"There, now it's just like daddy's."

Rafaela giggles, jumps off the couch and goes to look at herself in the mirror.

**II.**

When they're both watching TV, tired from another exhausting day, they hear their daughter's footsteps as she runs upstairs, going from one room to another.

"She's up to something," Leon says, switching the channel.

"When is she not up to something?" Claire asks, her head on his shoulder as they watch another _Seinfeld_ rerun.

"She gets that from you, you know."

"I know, I'm so proud of her."

Rafaela shows up a second later. The living room is dark apart from the light coming from the TV, and all they can see is a small girl in her favorite pajamas (she's been wearing them all day), with her hands behind her back and a big smile on her face.

"Is everything okay, sweetie?" Claire asks.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Leon adds.

The little girl shakes her head. "You and mommy need to close your eyes."

Leon looks at Claire and she nods. They close their eyes, not able to help the smiles on their faces, smiles that only get bigger when they feel a noisy kiss on their cheeks. They open their eyes but Rafaela is upstairs again, giggling.

They open their eyes and Leon is the first to comment with a chuckle.

"You got lipstick all over your cheek."

"So do you," Claire says.

**III.**

They go to bed late. There's a storm happening outside, and Claire can't stop hogging the covers. Leon is left cold and in his sweatpants, trying to cover himself without disturbing his wife, even though she's to blame for his lack of blankets. But all his effort goes to hell when the door to their room bursts open, and a sobbing Rafaela comes into picture, clutching her teddy bear. Her hair is a mess, and she's trying very hard not to cry every time thunder strikes and lights up the entire sky.

Claire is up in a second, dizzy from sleep. Leon is already on his feet, picking their daughter up.

The little girl hiccups and hides her face on her father's chest, wipes her eyes with her sleeves and jumps out of fear when she hears another thunder. Leon runs his hand up and down Rafaela's back, trying to soothe her. Claire makes room for their daughter, rearranges the covers as Leon sits on the bed next to her.

Rafaela refuses to let go.

"Shhh...we're here," Leon says.

Claire takes her daughter's hand in hers, squeezes it and leans in to kiss her cheek. "Hey, hey look at me, kiddo," Rafaela does, sniffing and holding back more tears. "Hi," Claire says, smiling. "Did you know you're my favorite daughter in the entire world?"

"I'm..._sniff_...your only daughter."

"Yes, you are. And you're my favorite."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Do you like me better than you like Daddy?"

Leon laughs.

"Oh, much, much better," Claire says.

"So I'm getting no love here, huh?"

Rafaela is quick. "_I_ love you."

"You do? Well, that's a relief," he says, tickling her belly and making her laugh. "I was worried there for a second." He winks at her, all playful and loving, and takes notice at how much she looks like Claire. The hair and the mouth is his, but everything else is Claire. The color of her eyes and the way she talks nonstop about a subject, all the while using her hands to express herself.

How gorgeous she is.

That's all because of Claire.

She opens her mouth to say something, but closes it as soon as she hears another thunder.

"Hey, hey...it's just noise, sweetie," Claire tries.

"It's so loud!"

"But it can't hurt you."

"How do you know?"

"It would have to get through me and your mother first. And you know how your mother is when she's mad," Leon says, earning a tiny smile from Rafaela.

"She's like the Hulk!"

And Claire raises her fists and scrunches up her face, says she'll kick the ass of anything or anyone who tries to hurt her little girl, and Leon feels Rafaela relax in his arms, giggling at every silly thing he or Claire say. It doesn't take too much to convince her she's safe, but she does find her spot in the middle of the bed, and she falls asleep with the promise of sunny days and warm nights.


End file.
